A recent development in the recording industry is the digital audio compact disc system. In this system, sound is reproduced on a small, convenient sound carrier unit. The disc is approximately 41/2 inches in diameter and produces a unique combination of digital playback with laser optics. These compact discs, as they are referred to in the audio industry, are becoming increasingly popular in the United States and many foreign countries and are approaching outselling usual LP record discs.
The introduction of compact discs into the audio market has presented a problem to the retail sellers thereof in that the discs must be displayed so that prospective purchasers can inspect the same to determine the artist, songs, etc., thereon. This presents a security problem due to the extremely small size of the compact discs in contrast to LP record discs.
Existing LP record discs are placed on their edges and displayed in racks since theft of the discs is extremely difficult due to their large size, which generally is 12 inches by 12 inches. However, such open rack display of compact discs is extremely vulnerable to theft problems. Therefore, various packaging devices have been devised which enable the compact disc to be displayed for sale vertically in usual LP record disc display racks.
Various types of packages have been developed and are intended to provide a safe and secure device for displaying the compact discs while retarding removal of the same from the package and subsequent theft from the store. Such packages usually are elongated, rectangular containers which have opposite end portions and a compartment formed in at least one of the end portions for receiving a rectangular storage box or "jewel box" which contains the compact disc. These elongated compact disc containers typically are formed of either cardboard, a rigid plastic having openings formed therein for viewing the contents of the disc, or a transparent, flexible "blister" plastic. The cardboard container typically is wrapped in a clear plastic heat-shrink paper after the jewel box containing the disc has been placed in the container, which requires the disc distributor or retailer to purchase a heat-shrink wrapping machine and manually wrap each container.
Although these known prior art packages do enable the compact discs to be displayed in a usual LP record disc cabinet, it has been found that they fail to effectively deter theft of the compact discs. A thief can merely conceal the entire cardboard or plastic container under a shirt or coat or, alternatively, such containers are easily opened so that the much smaller jewel box or disc itself can be concealed for removal from the store.
The closest known prior art to the present invention is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,718,547. However, there are important differences between the compact disc security package disclosed in this patent and our present invention. More particularly, the package shown in this patent has a hinged closure member for permanently holding a usual compact disc container therein. However, the security package is not reusable since the closure member remains permanently locked and the package must be cut or otherwise destroyed or mutilated to remove the disc container from the package. In comparison, the cover or closure member of our package is releasably secured in the closed position for holding a disc container therein for store display. The cover can be unlocked by a store clerk by using a specially designed key, and the compact disc container therein removed for sale to a purchaser so that the package can be reused for displaying another compact disc.
Therefore, the need exists for an improved compact disc security package which can be displayed in the usual LP record disc storage racks and which can be produced inexpensively yet is sufficiently strong and durable so as to be reusable. Furthermore, the need exists for a compact disc package which is inexpensive to manufacture, yet which is sophisticated enough to thwart the retail store compact disc thief. There is no known compact disc security package of which I am aware that provides these features and advantages.